Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Training Manual
DAY-1 Break up
timings
DAY- 2
DAY- 3
DAY- 4
Review Session
Recap of Sound using Cue Card 01. Hour
Reading 45. Mins
Group Discussion 30. Mins
Listening & Comprehension 45. Mins
Level 1: People often don't understand what you want to say. You use the wrong
sounds in English words.
Level 2: People understand what you want to say, but it is unpleasant to listen to you.
Anybody with the desire to reduce their accent can reduce their accent.
Change begins with the desire to change. When we combine our desire with proper
instruction and practice, we achieve success!
The key to learning to speak English clearly and correctly is training and practice.
Clear and accurate speech comes from "doing."
Reducing your accent is different than other skills such as grammar and vocabulary.
Studying accent reduction is more like studying dance, music, sports or martial arts.
It involves the training of muscle groups. Everybody is born with these muscle groups
located in our tongue, lips and jaw.
All that you need is the desire to change, proper instruction and most of all practice
and training! Accent reduction is about "doing."
Simply observing or knowing how to, is not enough. Awareness and knowledge is
important but you have to try it in order to be able to actually do it.
What is an "Accent?"
We often hear people say, " I want to reduce my accent," or "He has an accent, ". But
what exactly is an accent ?
Essentially, an accent is the process by which a speaker substitutes a sound from their
native language for a sound from English. This “transference” occurs mainly for two
reasons.
The first reason is that the speaker is not aware that a specific sound exists in
English. Hence, they use the closest sound from their native language instead.
For example, many students are unaware of the sound /I/ as in the word chip or big.
As a result, when saying the word chip,they substitute a similar sound which exists in
their native language. Usually, they choose /i/ as in the word he or meet.
The second reason a speaker substitutes the wrong sound is that he or she may simply
find it too difficult to pronounce the correct sound.
For example, many students are aware of the sound /th/ as in think or that. However
the articulation of the sound is just too difficult or feels unnatural The result is that
/th/ is pronounced like /s/, /z,/ /d/ or /t/.
The word that may sound like “zat” or “ dat” The student chooses /z/ or /d/
because it's easier and “close enough.”
Another element of an accent is incorrect intonation. English has a melody. You have
to become aware of the melody of English. Don't worry. It's a very simple melody and
you don't have to have musical training or a musical ear to learn it. It doesn't involve
specific pitches – just knowing when to raise your pitch and when to lower it.
Finally, some people have accents because they put the stress in the wrong places of
words and sentences.
This can be confusing for a listener. But there are simple rules to guide you when
you're not sure. Once you learn the rules, it gets easier and the stress patterns start to
become second nature.
In order to lose your accent, you must first become aware of all the sounds of English.
For example, there are five vowels in the Latin alphabet-A, E, I, O and U.
However, there are fifteen vowels sounds in English! You are probably already aware
of most of them.
Losing your accent involves learning how to properly articulate the vowels and
consonant sounds and finally, using them habitually in your everyday speech.
Phonetic Alphabet
A. Alpha-Alfah N. November
B. Bravo O. Oscar
C. Charlie P. Papa
D. Delta Q. Quebec
E. Echo R. Romeo
F. Foxtrot S. Sierra
G. Golf T. Tango
H. Hotel U. Uniform
I. India V. Victor
J. Juliet W. Whisky
K. Kilo X. X-Ray
L. Lima Y. Yankee
M. Mile Z. Zulu
Letters Phonetic Sound
Alphabets
A Alpha ALfah
B Bravo BRAHvoh
C Charlie CHARlee
D Delta DELLtah
E Echo ECKoh
F Foxtrot FOCKStrot
G Golf Golf
H Hotel HohTELL
I India INdeeah
J Juliet JEWleeETT
K Kilo KEYloh
L Lima LEEmah
M Mike Mike
N November noVEMber
O Oscar OSScah
P Papa pahPAH
Q Quebec KehBECK
R Romeo ROWmeoh
S Sierra seeAIRrah
T Tango TANGgo
U Uniform YOUneeform
V Victor VIKtah
W Whiskey WISSkey
X X-ray ECKSray
Y Yankee YANGkey
Z Zulu ZOOloo
Consonants are produced when the airstream is obstructed in the vocal tract.
(a) place of articulation, which refers to where in the mouth the sound is
produced;
(b) manner of articulation, which refers to the way the air is obstructed
in the mouth while producing the sound;
Phonetic Script
S. No. Sound Word Other Examples
1 pen cap, shepherd
2 bed snub, about
3 tank butter, heaped, Thames
4 door sudden, played
5 keen cut, occur, ticket
6 gate begged, ghost, example
7 chair watch, question, picture
8 jump germ, budget, suggest
9 mad summer, climb, damn
10 not funny, gnat, know
11 singer brink, anxiety, anchor
12 Let hill, seal
Voiced Consonants – These are the consonant sounds which is produced from the
larynx and the pronunciation of the same will make the vocal chord vibrate
Voiceless Consonants – These are the consonant sounds which is produced from the
tongue tip and their will be no vibration of vocal chord while pronouncing the same.
VL VD VL VD VL VD VL VD VL VD VL VD VL
stop p b t d k g
fricative f v Θ ð s z ʃ ʒ h
affricate ʧ ʤ
nasal m n ŋ
liquid l r
glide y w
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Bilabial sounds, which are produced when both lips are brought together,
e.g. [p], [b], and [m].
Labiodental sounds, which are produced by having the lower lip touch the
upper teeth, e.g. [f] and [v].
Interdental sounds, which are produced when the tip of the tongue comes
between the upper and lower teeth, e.g. [T] as in “think”, and [D] as in
“this”.
Alveolar sounds, which are produced by raising the front part of the tongue
to the alveolar ridge, e.g. [t], [d], [n], [s], [z], [l], and [r].
Alveopalatal sounds, which are produced when the front part of the tongue
touches the alveolar ridge and then the hard palate (that part of the mouth
which is just behind the alveolar ridge), e.g. [S] as in “shoe”, [Z] as in
“vision”, [tS] as in “choose”, and [dZ] as in “jam”.
Velar sounds, which are produced by raising the back part of the tongue to
the soft palate or the velum, e.g. [k], [g], and [N], which is the final sound
in “king”.
Glottal sounds, which are produced at the glottis, e.g. [h] and [/].
Uvular sounds, which are produced by raising the back of the tongue to the
uvula, e.g. French [{] and Arabic [q].
Pharyngeal sounds, which are produced at the pharynx, e.g. Arabic [÷].
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Speech sounds are also differentiated by the way the airstream is affected
as it travels from the lungs up and out of the mouth and nose. This is
referred to as the manner of articulation for the sound.
Nasals: such sounds are produced when the air escapes through the nasal
cavity rather than the mouth, e.g. [m], [n], and [N].
Glides: such sounds are produced with little or no obstruction of the air in
the mouth, e.g. [j] and [w]. When occurring in a word, they must always be
either followed or preceded by a vowel, and in their articulation the tongue
moves rapidly in a gliding fashion either toward or away from a neighboring
vowel.
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If the vocal cords are apart when the airstream is pushed from the lungs,
the air is not obstructed at the glottis and it passes freely into the
supraglottal cavities. The sounds produced this way are characterized as
voiceless, e.g. [p], [t], and [s].
By contrast, if the vocal cords are together, the airstream forces its way
through and causes them to vibrate. Such sounds are voiced sounds, e.g.
[b], [d], and [z].
Aspiration
A few sounds (specifically the voiceless stops) are produced with an extra puff
of air when occurring initially. Compare your pronunciation of the [p], [t], and
[k] sounds in both words in each of the following pair:
You can easily notice that in the first word of each pair, the voiceless stop is
released with a strong puff of air, which is called aspiration, whereas in the
second word of each pair no such aspiration is found. The voiceless stops in the
first words are therefore characterized as “aspirated” sounds, which distinguish
them from the unaspirated voiceless stops that do not occur initially. In
transcription, we indicate this difference in aspiration by superscripting the
h h
aspirated sound with [ ], e.g. pit [p It]; spit [spIt]
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Consonant - Voiced
Ba Ba Ba Ba Da Da Da Da
Ma Ma Ma Ma Na Na Na Na
Consonant - Voiceless
Ph Ph Ph Ph Fa Fa Fa Fa
Th Th Th Th Ta Ta Ta Ta
Sa Sa Sa Sa Sha Sha Sha Sha
Ch Ch Ch Ch Ka Ka Ka Ka
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1.
(a) tank: _____________ (a) thank: ______________
2.
(a) bridge _____________ (a) buzz: ______________
3.
(a) ledger: _____________ (a) leisure: ______________
4.
(a) vim: _____________ (a) whim: _____________
5.
(a) dose: _____________ (a) doze: ______________
6.
(a) same: _____________ (a) shame: ______________
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The rickety ladder rattled right and left before it crashed through the glass.
Rotten lettuce really reeks.
Loose, leafy lettuce reminds me of really pretty, green trees.
Real lemon, real lime, which would you pick every time?
Ribbons rolled, ribbons loose, hair untied, what's your excuse?
Tip and tap, rip and rap, lip and lap. Tip, rip, lip, tap, rap, lap.
These consonants demand ACTIVE LIPS! Say "Boom". Explode that "b." Bring
those lips down hard, quick, and sharply for B, P, M. For the W, pucker the lips.
FOR B: A big black bug bit a big black bear, made a big black bear
bleed.
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Touch the tip of the tongue to the rim of the upper teeth. The tongue tip
should protrude ever so slightly.
FOR TH: Theophilus Thistle, the thistle sifter, sifted a sieve of unsifted
thistles. If Theophilus the thistle sifter sifted a sieve of unsifted thistles,
where is the sieve of sifted thistles Theophilus the thistle sifter sifted?
What dost thou think of those that go thither?
S, Z, and WH
T, D, N, L, and R
A lazy TONGUE will get you in trouble with these twisters. The first four of
these consonants are made alike. Your tongue should snap as a whip. The tip of
it should SHARPLY TOUCH the hard palate—just above the upper teeth.
On the R, the entire tongue arches itself along the roof of the mouth—without
touching it.
FOR T: Thomas Tattertoot took taut twine to tie ten twigs to two tall
trees.
FOR D: Double bubble gum bubbles double. Non double bubble gum
doesn't bubble double.
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F and V
Both F and V are formed by biting lightly the lower inside lip. Say the word
"fife." This is an example.
FOR F: I never felt felt feel Hat like that felt felt.
FOR V: Vern Verve is well versed in very wordy verb verse.
H, K, and NG
K requires the back of the tongue to touch the soft palate. The breath is then
released VERY SHARPLY. G is merely the vocalized form of this sound.
When sounding Ng (sing), again arch the tongue in the same manner. But force
the voice through the nasal passage.
FOR H: Harry Hugh hid the heel behind the high hill. If Harry Hugh hid
the heel behind the high hill, where is the heel Harry Hugh hid?
FOR K: Cass Cash can catch a check cashier to cash his un-cashed check.
FOR NG: The ringing, swinging, singing singers sang winning songs.
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Articulation
Height:
Height refers to the vertical position of the tongue relative to either the roof of
the mouth or the aperture of the jaw. In high vowels, such as [i] and [u], the
tongue is positioned high in the mouth, whereas in low vowels, such as [a], the
tongue is positioned low in the mouth.
Backness
Roundedness
Roundedness refers to whether the lips are rounded or not. In Round vowels
such as [o] and [u] the lips comes together and forward to form round shape. In
most languages, roundedness is a reinforcing feature of mid to high back
vowels, and not distinctive. Usually the higher a back vowel, the more intense
the rounding; However, some languages treat roundedness and backness
separately.
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... is an OPEN sound, ie. it is produced by not blocking the breath with
the lips, teeth, or tongue.
... is always voiced (VD), ie. the vocal cords vibrate. The word "vowel" came
into English from the Latin vocalis meaning "voice."
stop /a/
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Phonetic Script
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DRILLS
EH I OO UH AE A AW
BET BIT BOOK BUT BAT AGAIN BOUGHT
CHECK CHICK COOK CUT CAT TOGETHER CAUGHT
DESK DID PUSH DOES THAT EVER DOT
DEBT FIT FOOT FUN FRANK GATHER FROCK
FENCE GRIT GOOD GUT GALLERY MOTHER GOT
GET KILL COOK CUD CATCH BROTHER COT
KED LIT LOOK LUMP LAMP ELDER LOTTERY
LET MILK SHOULD MUCK MAT SPONSOR MOCK
MEN KNIT NOOK KNUCKLE NATURAL TRAINER KNOCK
NET PIT PUT PUTT PACK TEACHER POPCORN
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Aa I Uu Er awh
CAR BEET SHOE SHIRT HALL
BARK QUICHE TRUE DIRT LONG
DARK DEEP CLUE TURN TALL
HEART HEAT DROOL FERN BROAD
BAR EAT DO CHURN LONGER
CAR SEAT FOOL BURN ALL
CALM DEEPER COOL CURT WALLET
PALM KEEP FOOD BURST WALNET
CHARM NEAT RUDE SURF WALL
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Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said “This butter’s bitter.
“If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter.”
So, she bought some better butter, better than the bitter butter.
When she put it in her batter, the butter made her batter better.
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Neutral Accent
Your accent results from how, where, and when you learned the language you are
speaking and it gives impressions about you to other people. People do not have a
single fixed accent which is determined by their experiences. We can control the way
we speak, and do, both consciously and unconsciously. Most people vary their accent
depending on who they are speaking with. We change our accents, often without
noticing, as we have new life experiences.
Neutral Accent
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